Starter for combustion engines



Jan. 2, 1923.

A. K. BONTA.

STARTER FOR COMBUSTION ENGINES.

FILED AER.12,1919.

Jan. 2, 1923. 1,440,815.. A. K. BUNTA.

STARTER FOR COMBUSTION ENGINESv FILED ARR-12,1919. 3 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

FIGS. FNM.

Jan. 2, 1923.

1 A. K. BONTA.

STARTER FOR comuslow EVNG|NEs.

3 SHEETS SHEET 3.

FILED APR. I2. 1919.

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llllllllllllllllIHIIIIIIIIHI llllllillll lllllllllllllllll IHH Y Patented Jan. k2,

UNITED STATES .l 1,440,815 PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR KNOX BONTA, F NEW YORK, N. Y. ;l MARY W. BONTA EXECUTRIX 0F SAID ,ARTHUR KNOX BONTA, DECEASED.

STARTER FOR COMBSTION ENGINES.

Application'led. April 12, 1919. Serial No. 289,597.

' Engines, of which the following is a. specishown to be unreliable.

fication.

My invention consists in a starter for combustion engines, and the object of my invention is a device operated from a small combustion engine, `which will throw va large combustion engine into operation, and then automatically be thrown out of relation with the large combustion engine, when the large combustion engine reaches a definite speed. and further, a device which, in case a large combustion engine is rendered inoperative as a propelling means, for instance, for an automobile, will, acting throughthe small combustion engine, impart motion to such automobile.

Heretofore starters have been operated by means of a storage battery, coiledsprings, or similar devices, all of which practice has The starter described and claimed in this specification, makes use of instrumentalities which practice has shown to be not only entirely reli-v able, but economical in use and presenting advantages over any other form of starter.

The accompanying drawings will serve to v illustrate my invention, in which:

Fig. 1 isa plan view of a combustion engine and its associated partys, with the starter shown in longitudinal horizontal section.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal horizontal section of the starter with the parts shown in the position which they'will occupy with the starter in relation with a large combustion engine.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation lookingfrom the lleft of Fig. 1,'With a portion of the starter in vertical section.

Fig. a is a section on the line lV-IV of y Fig. 2,. f

Fig. 5 is a section on the-line V-V of Fig. 1. f Fig. 6 is an elevation of the small combustion engine and starter and associated parts, taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. l.

Fig. 7 isa vertical section taken on' the line VIL-VH of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 but, showing an electric means for actua-ting a portion of `the starter instead of the mechanical means shown in Fig. l. Fig. 9 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2, illustrating the second position of the starting means shown in Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings: 5 indicates a combustion engine of any type, such as may be employed to drive an automobile or other device. Mounted on the driving shaft 6 of this engine, is a fly wheel 7, onavliich is a gear S; 9 is a small combustion engine, represented in the 'drawings as a two cycle engine. This engine, however, may be of any type. This engine, when set in motion.,

is .adapted tov drive a shaft l0. Secured to this shaft is a sleeve 11.v Loosely mounted `on the shaft 10 and adapted to be given longitudinal motionis a sleeve 1,2. livotally connected to the'sleevesll and`12 and to each other, are the arms 13, and mounted" on the central pivotal Aconnections are balls 14; the general arrangement being that of a ball governor. Coni-.iected to the shaft 10 is a stop sleeve l5,` and situated between `the sleeve 12 and stop 15is a spring 16 which normally tends to push the sleeve 12 to the left.A llt wil-l be understood that wlien..the

shaft 10 isrotated, the balls 14 willbey thrown out by centrifugal force` which-will tend to move the sleeve 12 to the right as against the pressure of the springs 1.6.l Mounted on the shaft 10, is a large sleeve 17. The sleeve 17 is arranged to rotate with the shaft 10. Arranged over the periphery of this sleeveand designed to move longitudinally thereon, is an annular ring 18 `pro` vided on its innerperiphery with a toothed rack 19. Pivoted at 2O in the sleeve 17, are gear segments 21. These segTne-ntshave two sets of teeth, 22 and 23. The teeth 22vcoop-y crate-with the teeth on the rack 19 on the inner periphery of the ring 18, and thev teeth 23 with the teeth on rack 24 on the outer periphery of the sleeve 12. It will now be understood that when the balls 14 are thrown out, the sleeve l2 will he drawn to the right, and the annular ring` 18 moved to the left.

Loosely mounted on shaft 10 is a disc 25. The disc is provided with al forward tubular extension 26 which is situated in a bearing ion 30 adapted to mesh with gear 8 on fly wheel 7. Situated between the forward end .of the extension 26 and the bearing 29, is a spring 3l vwhich-normally tends to push the extension 26- anddisc 25 to the right and to' vdisen'gage the pinion 30 from the gear 8'.

Surrounding the disc 25 is a hollow' discl 32. Situated in recesses in the opposing faces of the annular ring `18 and the' disc 32, is a friction ring 35. llt will 'now be' understood that when the balls 14 are thrown out, the sleeve 18 will be advanced to the left andp will make friction with ring 35, which will be communicated, through the ring, to the disc 32, thus producing mo' tion of this disc, which motion will be com- Vmunicated to the disc 25, thence to the shaft 28 and pinion 30. `At the same time, the longitudinal movement of the shaft 28 to 'the left will produce a corresponding movement of the pinion 30, so that finally the pinion 30 will be brought into engagement with the gear 8. In view4 of the fact that' the lspeed of the shaft 28 must be comparatively slow relative to that of the small combustion engine 9, when the pinion 30 is brought into contact with the gear 8, means are provided for gradually 'imparting-.to the shaft 28, thev speed of the shaft l0, and this means is illustrated in Fig. 3. ln this ligure the disc 25 is shown as provided on its periphery with a series of recesses 36, having inclined lower surfaces carrying rollers 37, which rollers are free to move in t-he recesses 3 6 but restrained by the action of springs 38, connected through pins 39 to the disc 25. lt will now be understood that when the disc l32 is rotated in the direction of the arrow,

frictional engagement'with the rollers tends to move the rollers 4along theinclined surfaces of the recesses 36 and thus bring about a wedging relation between the disc `32 and the disc 25. ln order that this engagement shall notbe too rapid or severe, the movement of the rollers 37 is resisted by the springs- 38, until'the speed of the ldiscs 32 and 25 are approximately the same, and conversely, when the vspeed of the disc 32 decreases, the action of the springs will tend to move the rollers backward and release the engagement.

' Referring now to the parts associated with the small combustion engine. lt will be understood that the small combustion engine must be driven at a determined/speed before the pinion 30 is thrown into engagement with the gear 8, and conversely, that this driving movement be stopped when the speed of the large combustion engine is' suficient to insure its own movement. .Very many devices may be used to accomplish this result. That shown consists of a battery 45. Leading` from one terminal of this battery, is a conductor 46, whichl is wound y Leaders carried by conof the battery 45, the circuit as thus de-A l scribed, when closed, formingthev .primary circuit of a `transforme-r.

Surrounding the core 47 is a seconda-ry circuit.` rlhe path of the current in the see, ondary circuit is from Contact plate 51,

tion engine 9, thence through spark plugs f y'-53 (one of which is indicated) by conductor 54 surrounding core 47 to pivot 55 of bell crank 56. A with two arms, 57-58. Under'normal conditions (see Fig. l) the arm 57 of vthe bell crank 56 closes` the secondary circuit through the contact plate 51. llt will be seen from the above description, that while normally the primary v,circuit is open, the secondary circuit is closed.- llhejarm- 58 of the bell crank 56 has formed on'i't twousteps '59-60. Normally (see Fig. l) the lower step 59 is located under the lower 61 of a trip lever 62. The arms58 and 6l are heldin engagement by means of a double spring 63. The upper arm 64 of the trip lever 62, has on its en d' a plate 65. which is adapted to cooperate with an inclined projectioif 66 carried by the contact arm 49." Pivoted to the arm 49 is a. lever 67 carrying a roller 68,

which is forced outward by the action of a 4spring 69.

Athrough conductor 52 'to` the'small combusrlhe bell crank 56 is. prbvided' llO to pass through vthe spark plugs of the` small engine 9. Connected to one of the armsxl is an arm 70 which arm is adapted to coact with the upper arm 57 of the bell crank 56.

The operation of the parts as above .described, is as follows: Assuming the small engine 9 to be in operation the relation of the -arms 7() and'` 57 will be as shown in F ig. l and will remain substantially in that position until the speed of the largecombastionl engine is such-as to cause the balls 14 to move outward and the `arm 7() tothe right until it impinges upon the arm 57 of the bell crank 56, shifting the arm 57 to the right, so that itrwill leave 23 contact plate 5l and thus break the secondary circuit (see Fig. 2) whereupon, under the action of the i spring 3l, the pinionl 30 will leave the gear.' 8 and these parts again resume the position shown in Fig.v y1. The opening of the secondary circuit, no current will pass through the spark plugs, and the small engine 9 will y stop. The balls 14 and the arm 70 will return to the position shown in Fig. 1. lhen the arms of the bell crank are shifted, the upper arm 64 of the trip lever 62 is moved into the path of movement ofv arm 66 connected to contact arm 19 (see Fig. 2) which will coact with trip lever to .again bring the parts into the position necessary to again transmit the movement of the small combustionengine to the large combustion engine as described (see Fig. 1).

The small combustion engine.9 may be started by any suitable device. In Fig. 7 I have disclosed a device which consists of a drum 71, over which is wound acord 72, which passes over a pulley 73. The drum 71y is loose on shaft 10. Mounted on shaftl 1() is a ratchet wheel 74, and on the interior of the drum is pivotally mounted pawl 75, the end of which takes over the ratchet wheel. lWhen the Vcord is pulled, the drum is rotated in the direction of the arrow, and the motion of the drum is transmitted throughthe pawl and ratchet wheel to the shaft 10. When the cord is released, a coiled spring 7G, connected to the frame of the lengine 9 and drum 71, causes rotation of clutch consists of' a closed circuited ring 90,

rigidly connected to a part corresponding to the disc 32. Located Within this ring is lan annular ring 91 carrying field magnets 92 adapted to be energized from a battery 93 through collector rings 94. The ring 91 and field magnets, under the action of the balls 14, are moved longitudinally relative to the ring 90. It will be observed from Fig.' 8 that the field magnets are not within the ring, whereas in Fig. 9 they are within the ring. 95 is a rheostat, and 96 a starting lever.

The operation' of the electromagnetic. clutch is as follows: l/Vhen the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 themagnetic relation between the closed coil 90 and the ring carrying the field magnets 92 is such that there will be no clutching action, and consequently the revolution of the shaft 10 and parts thereon will communicate no motion to the shaft 28 and pinion 30; When, however, the starting lever is moved,un

der the action of the ballsla, to cut resistance out of the circuit from battery 93, the magnetism of they field magnets is in- `creased, as also the magnetic relation bevdisc 25 to shaft 28 will be gradually increased until the speed of the ring corresponds to the speed of the shaft 10 and vice versa.

The above short description ofthe modi- Y fication is made simply for the purpose of pointing out that my invention contemplates the use of any form of clutch between the small combustion engine and the large combustion engine: I Wish it understood that I do not limit myself in any wise to either -form of clutch as described, as other forms may be used.

Having" thus described my invention, I claim:

`1. A starter for .combustion engines, comprising a small combustion engine, a shaft driven thereby, a second shaft disposed in line with said first named shaft but' not connected thereto, a pinion on the end of the second named shaft adapted to cooperate with a gear on a large combustion engine,

means interposed between the shafts adapted to transmit the motion of the first named shaft to the second named shaft and effect progressive longitudinal movement of the second named shaft in one direction, and provided with means to cut off the power of the small engine at a predetermined speed and means acting in opposition to said last named means and adapted to move the second named shaft and pinion thereon inthe opposite direction.

2. A starter for combustion engines, comprising a small combustion engine, a shaft driven thereby, a. second shaft disposed in line with said first named shaft but not connected thereto, a pinion onr the end of the second named shaft, a clutch situated be-I tween the shafts having one member connected to each shaft, means located on the first named shaft and regulated in its movement by the degree of rapidity of rotation of the first named shaft and adapted to es-` tablish a clutching relation between the two clutch members and effect a longitudi nalmovement of the second named shaft in one direction, and when the speed of rota-l tion of the first named shaft increases, to cut off the power of the small combustion engine, and means for producing ailongitudinal movement of the second named shaft in a direction opposite 4to its first movement vll() when the clutching relationtlbetw clutch members is dis-established.

3. A starter for combustion engines, comprising-'a small combustion engine for imparting rotary movement to a shaft, a shaft,

lclutch controlling mechanism, means on the first named shaft acting` to produce 1ongitudinal movement of said shaft ina direc- A 'tion opposite to the first `movement when the clutch relation is dis-established, mean' s on said shaft, for imparting primary motion to the small engine, and means also on said een the V shaft and controlled by thevrotation thereof for stopping movement of the small engine prior to, the. disengagement of the clutch controlling mechanism. 'y

4. 1A starter for combustionV engines, comprising a small -combustion engine, a shaft driven thereby a second shaIt in alinement therewith but not connected thereto, a pinion on the -end of the Second shaft adapted to coact with a-gear on alarge Acombustion engme, a clutching device located between the shafts, sald clutching devlce comprising coordinating members and means forfprogressively imparting' the'movement of the iirst named shaft to the second named shaft and advancing 'the second named shaitv inV a-v vlongituc'i'inaldirection, together with .means for controlling the action of the clutch at one timey vby the 'speed of the small com#` buston engine and Afor cutting ofi the igni- 'tion of said small. engine at another 'time by the speed of the large combustion engine.

' ln testimony whereof, I afiixmv signature.

`ARTHUR KNOX-`BONTAQ 

